Hope: A rumbelle short story
by laraine.thorpe
Summary: This is a fanfic short story that is told from Belle's POV and takes place in the enchanted castle during and after the Enchanted forest rumbelle scene we saw in the mid season finale of season 3A.


The characters in this story are not mine but are the property and owned by ABC and their original owners

**HOPE**

A Rumbelle short story

This takes place after the flashback scene in the episode mid season finale in season 3A

Belle walked through the halls of the Dark Castle. wondering if Rumplestiltskin would be in a bad mood this evening. When she walked in she noticed that he had lit a candle. "Go away" he said coldly. she had been living in this castle long enough to know what this tone means. It meant that he wanted to be alone. he was a man that didn't like to show weakness. "I'll just set this down," said Belle as she gestured to the basket of straw that she was holding. It was one of her jobs to make certain he had plenty of straw for his spinning wheel. when she didn't leave right away he licked his finger and put out the candle light and then hid it under his table. Belle then looked down and saw the cloak on the table. It was a small cloak the kind that would only fit a small child Then, she realized what was going on he did have a son and his son was dead. Belle had suspected he might of had a son one day while investigating the castle he was quite a collector of artifacts that he had received in trades it would be unlikely that he would accept a child's clothing in a trade so it had to be sentimental either it belonged to him when he was a little boy or he had a child at one time and he was holding onto the clothing as a remberence.

As Belle looked and the cloak she placed her hand on it "I'm so sorry It was a remberence wasn't it, How old would he have been" said Belle assuming that his son had died.

"Well he's not dead" Rumple snapped back "He's just lost".

"Lost"? Bell asked confused. She could not understand what he meant by that did he mean that he ran away, was he missing. But then her attention went back to the sad look on his face and the sad way he stoked the cape. she was stunned he had never shown any kind of emotion other than anger. "Today is his birthday I should be with him celebrating, we had a chance to be happy together but I was afraid". said Rumple.

Belle was amazed at this confession he was acting like I human fan and like a father in mourning.

"Maybe, its not too late said Belle trying to make him feel better.

"I hope not" said Rumple as he looked down at the cape before he began to walk away. "No, my ending will not be a happy one" said Rumple as he began to walk away and exit out of the room.

Belle watched Rumple walk away. She could not believe that he had such sadness in him that he really believed that life was going to hand him such unhappiness.

Later that night as she was doing her regular chores she could not stop thinking about the conversation that she had with Rumple earlier that night. She wondered if there was something that she could do for him something that would give him some hope that he would he happily reunited with his son again one day. "Hope" Belle thought to herself. She then began to go back up to the room that Rumple was having the memorial in.

Meanwhile as Rumple was spinning in his trophy room he happened to glance out of the window. Which, he knew was the window to his potions room and he saw a small flicker of light in the window. curious by what it might be he got up from his spinning wheel and made his way for his potions room. when he reached the room he noticed Belle had lit a small candle and was placing it in the window. "What are you doing"? he asked Belle.

"Its a tradition back in my kingdom" said Belle. "Whenever soldiers went to fight in the war or if a child had gone missing while playing the family members would light a single candle and place it in the window". "What for?" asked Rumple. "In hope that they would see the candle and it would light the path for them to find their way back home" said Belle.

"What ridiculous superstition" said Rumple. "I know it sounds silly" said Belle "But as long as this light it gave loved ones something that their loved ones so desperately needed during this difficult time" said Belle.

"And what could that small light possibly bring anyone" said Rumple.

"Hope" said Belle. "Hope that everything would be all right, Hope that their loved ones would return home safely".

"But if you don't like it you can always put out the candle said Belle". She then put her hand on his shoulder and smiled at him. good night Rumplestiltskin". said Belle as she put his hand on his shoulder and then walked out of the room.

Rumplestiltskin remained in the room and stare at the candle that Belle had lit he began to put his hand over the candle to put out the flame but at the last minute picked up the candle and placed it in the window. "Come home soon Bae" whispered Rumple as he placed the candle in the window and stared out of the window.

Meanwhile, Belle had stayed hidden outside the door and saw what he did. Maybe there was hope for this man after all.


End file.
